Snetrace

Brands Hatch 20th/21st June Race

Another great result takes us to the top!

It's always a great pleasure to drive on the GP circuit at Brands. It was a shame I wasn't in peak condition because of a "mysterious" leg injury but I was certainly shown the way by my fellow Lister drivers. Rob and I had been moved over from the green and yellow car that we won with at Snetterton over to the newer black and silver machine. I found it a tighter fit for my svelte profile but who am I to complain....?

A different colored Storm...

Testing and qualifying were under beautiful sunny conditions and Rob pulled out a blistering lap to put us on pole - the first of the season but I suspect not the last as he has taken to the car like a duck to water. I'm still learning a few things so under the circumstances I should have been happy with six fastest time.

1st Qualifying

One of our main problems, however, was going to be the "new" boys at Lister - both very experienced, ex-GT1 and quick straight away. We would have to look at our strategy very closely......

Race day arrived and the torrents of rain in the morning dispersed to reveal another glorious afternoon. We rolled out onto the grid and I noticed Tommy Erdos peering at me from the cockpit of the Marcos. Mmmmmmmm....tactic change to receive maximum benefit from the tyres....This was going to be tougher than I thought! William Hewland was also just behind me whilst John Greasley sat alongside in the Porsche GT1.

I had a great start from the lights and managed to get ahead of the Porsche and pulled alongside the orange Mclaren. Trying to outdrag this car is not recommended up the hill to Druids and I was forced to take the outside line. Another not so good idea and the Marcos went up my inside. I took evasive action and compromised my traction down to next corner. I then lost out to the GT1 Porsche and then the other Lister - Great start David................NOT!

It then took me a lap to get past the Mclaren and any hope of trying to get a tow from the front two was unrealistic to say the least. I settled down to do my stint making sure I would hand over the car to Rob in the best possible condition. We had decided tactically that I would do the minimum stint to clear the pit and give us the best track position. I came in on lap 11 and made sure I located neutral before the car stopped. We then achieved something we had never achieved before - a great pit-stop......our 20 second deficit was only 7 at the end of Rob's first lap. I didn't feel so bad now!

And then followed some great driving by Rob. Much has been said about him as a driver but in this situation in a front-engined car..he is difficult to beat!!

He caught Thorkild up and dived up the inside at Surtees and with fifteen minutes to go we were in the lead. And that's where we finished which was one better than the infamous race in 1997 in the Mustang ...

Thanks again to the Lister team for another great professional performance - hopes it goes as well in the FIA race at Hockenheim!!